


Rebellious Brothers

by NoapologiesNoexcusesNoregrets



Series: Our Hero Adam Winchester [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst and Humor, Brother Feels, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Crack and Angst, Dark Crack, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Issues, Family Secrets, Gen, It has sequins on it, Lucifer (Supernatural) is a Little Shit, Lucifer Redemption, Lucifer and Michael (Supernatural) Being Assholes, Lucifer and Michael are bros, Lucifer drives a motorcycle like a dick, Lucifer is a hot head, Lucifer likes Taylor Swift, Lucifer reads trashy romance novels, Michael Owls, Michael and Lucifer eat cake because, Michael is an overly protective dum dum, Michael-centric, Protective Michael, Protective Older Brothers, Protectiveness, Team as Family, cake is always good, cake is good, he wears a leather jacket, michael is a dork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2019-10-25 21:38:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17733134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoapologiesNoexcusesNoregrets/pseuds/NoapologiesNoexcusesNoregrets
Summary: Michael finally has a second chance to make things right.Thousands of years ago, he defied his Father to protect his brother.As a result, he lost everything.Now he has his memories back, the only thing that matters is finding his brother and keeping his family safe.Michael will do whatever it takes to protect them. Even if it means he has to let the rest of the world burn.





	1. Michael: Take Two

**Author's Note:**

> I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS FIC! I SWEAR! NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT! GAH! BLOOP! MEOW! And stuff.
> 
> Right, so, this story is kind of a companion piece to 'The Angel And The Kid'. The chapters will be short, more like snapshots of what Michael is getting up to and what he's thinking and feeling. 
> 
> This story doesn't actually give away plot as such. It just tells you what happened in the past, and lets you know what's going on 'off screen'. Kinda like a spin off. Sort of. Meh. 
> 
> I will reveal all in the main story eventually, but if you're interested in reading about Michael and Lucifer being bros who love each other, then this is the fic for you.
> 
> Warnings:
> 
> -OOC for Michael and Lucifer. Because in my fic they are not evil. I mean, they're dicks sometimes, and Lucifer is kind of an asshole, and they make bad choices for the sake of their family. But they aren't supervillians who want to destroy the world and be all mwah ha ha puny humans! 
> 
> -Swearing and foul language and shit, because my borrowed characters are 'grown ups'. And kind of whiny.
> 
> -Possible sexual situations. Maybe. I will warn in the notes if there are, I haven't quite decided yet. How does everyone feel about sexting?
> 
> -Violence. Because Angels and Demons are incapable of sitting down and having a civilised discussion. Plus Lucifer is a hot head. And Michael is an over protective dum dum.

Most Angels think the worst thing that can happen to us is falling. But when my Father gave me an order I could not obey, I was taught something different. I learnt the hard way that the worst thing that can happen to an Angel isn't falling, it's realising that our Father can be wrong.

Because if God can make mistakes, then so can we.

Because if we can make mistakes, then that means we are so much more like _them_.

As my Father once said, the potential for failure is the cornerstone of freedom.

This right here is the version of the infamous story you all know, that was never meant to be told. This is the version where I made some choices that changed my entire existence. It's the version where my brother set himself on a path that would transform the very foundation of the story. It's the version where our Father fucked up like all father's sometimes do.

If you're looking for a redemption story, well, I suppose you've come to the right place. But I think it's worth arguing over who actually needs redeeming this time around. My brother and I are Archangels, our choices move mountains, part oceans, change the world. Nothing is ever simple for us.

But we tried this time. We're still trying.

In the original story, there were two brothers. One older. Me. Michael. Mighty. Righteous. Loyal. And tragically desperate. One younger. Lucifer. Magnetic. Electrifying. Daring. And hopelessly trapped. We battled and struggled and killed and doomed the world. Then we clawed our way back to each other and refused to give up on what we believed was _meant_.

And of course there was Gabriel. And Raphael. And all the other Angels. They prayed and lied and fought for their faith, their family, their Father. Most of them died for it.

In this new and ultimately messier version of the story, there are still two brothers. There's still me, Michael, trying to do what's right for my family. Trying to save them. Him. Lucifer. He's still here too. This is the Lucifer who just wants to live his fucking life and not get thrown into a cage for it.

Many years ago, Lucifer fell in love with a witch. They had a son. A Nephilim.

In a fit of rage, our Father ordered me to kill the child, the witch, and my brother.

I made a choice. I tried to protect them instead.

I failed.

Our Father punished us, Lucifer and I. We were banished to Earth. Our Grace taken. Our wings burnt away.

But, our immortality remained intact. We were to be reborn as humans again and again and again. It was our shared curse to live an eternity separated, torn apart, without any memory of each other.

The Angels believe that Lucifer resides in the cage. They believe that the Winchesters are meant to be our true vessels. They believe that the Apocalypse is nigh.

Fuck are they going to be pissed when they find out the truth.

I know now that there comes a time when we all must make a choice. The choice. The choice that defines us. We must choose between fighting for what we've been taught all of our lives to believe in, or to fight for what we truly ourselves believe to be right.

I made my choice. I chose family. I _choose_ family.

And this time, I will not fail them.


	2. The Witch Is A Shark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael has a chat with The Witch.
> 
> He's totally chill.

I knew she would come for me. If I waited out here long enough. I can't decide if she's predictable, or if I just know her too well. Either option is discomforting, so I push that entire train of thought away. I've had to push away a lot of things in the last twenty-four hours, and I'm starting to wonder how much this human body can take. Humans aren't supposed to have the knowledge of an Angel. Their minds would rapture if they knew even a tenth of what my kind knows.

Not because they're weaker, as some Angels believe, but because our Father did not create them for the same purpose. Humans don't need to remember the way we remember. Angels burn like stars, whereas each and every human is a grain of sand. Both are part of the universe in their own way. It feels strange to even pretend that I belong on the earth, rather than in the sky.

This body isn't a vessel. I don't have my grace. I'm human. Or, at least, as human as I'm capable of being. But I have my memories back. For the first time in many millennia, I know exactly who and what I am. Even better, I know what I've been missing for all these years; my brother.

I need to find him. I need to find Lucifer. God doesn't seem to be around to stop me from putting right what he did wrong.

That's why I'm here, waiting for the only one who can help me.

Even without my grace, I feel her coming before I see her. Old instincts die hard, I guess.

A Demon woman stands before me. I know her. She was once a witch. That was a very long time ago.

"Michael." She says. Her vocal cords may have changed, but somehow her voice remains familiar to me. Deep and rich and enticing. Deadly as all manner of sin.

I note that her eyes are also full of the same fire and brimstone, the same rage and passionate resolve, even after all these years.

"Ruby." I say, using the modern name that she has adopted.

Ruby's eyes widen ever so slightly. She can hear it in my voice. The awareness. The lost knowledge that has finally been returned to me.

She takes a few steps towards me. Not too many though. She's never been stupid, I'll give her that. Well, unless you would consider falling in love with an Archangel to be sufficiently stupid.

Then again, I have been reliably informed that falling in love is not a choice one makes. That should make us more forgiving when people fall for the wrong person. But not many things in this life are merciful enough for that.

Ruby watches me, as a bird would watch their potential prey. Tracking me. Tracking my every movement, every false breath, and every physical signal that I give her the truth of me.

We're on a moonlit road, not far from Robert Singer's home. I didn't want to go far, just in case the Winchesters woke up and noticed that I was missing. I can tell them I went for a walk to clear my head, and hopefully they'll just think I'm some civilian idiot who doesn't know any better. Hopefully Adam Winchester will find my note and decide not to come after me.

"You...remember?" Ruby asks, suspicious and hopeful and angry, as always.

I meet her eyes. I let her see inside of me. I let her see the rawness of it.

"I remember." I say.

I try not to let my human emotions take hold of me. It's far more difficult than I would like. There are many things about being human that I find hard to bear, but the lack of control over oneself is by far the worst.

Ruby doesn't react like I would expect her to. I thought that upon revealing my recovered memory she would attack me, demand answers of which I do not have. In this current form, she knows I would be no match for her. She knows that she has the advantage. She also knows that I have given her the advantage by coming out in the open like this. I knew she would take offense to that as well. Ruby does not appreciate being given opportunities to hurt her enemies. She prefers to fight and claw and bite. It's the humanity in her.

Not that Ruby and I were really enemies as such. There was a time when I hated her. She stole my brother from me. She became the centre of his world. Lucifer would do anything for her. I soon realised that Ruby hated me for much the same reason. My brother's love for her was only countered by his love for me.

Ruby does not scream or threaten to destroy as I imagined she would. It seems that time has cooled her temper somewhat. It almost amuses me. I never thought anything could tame the rampant volcano that lived inside of that woman. Lucifer will be disappointed, he always liked her unstoppable need to rage. That's what Lucifer told me, when I asked why he would risk everything for her. _She has the stubborn ferocity of a human warrior, and the savage need for violence of a Goddess_ , he said. My brother insisted that was the perfect combination for the wife of a disobedient Archangel.

I didn't understand it then, and honestly I still don't. In all the years that I've been human, in all the lives that I've lived, I have never once loved someone the way Lucifer loved her. Beyond reason, sanity and sense. A love that began in ashes, and ended in flames. From the moment my brother met his Witch, his Fall was inevitable. Lucifer knew that, and he did not care. Of course, perhaps if he had seen what would become of his son, he would have thought twice about defying our Father so brazenly.

"I don't know where he is." Ruby tells me. Her expression remains impassive, but I can see the fire that rages beneath.

"I will find him." I say, and it's a promise. To her, and to myself.

"He can't be tracked by spells." Ruby says, sceptical of my claim, which is fair. "I've tried. I've tried so many times." Her jaw tightens. I can only imagine what it must have been like for her all these years. Alone, outcast, and unable to find her fallen husband.

"No, my brother and I cannot be tracked by magic. Our Father would have made sure of that." I say. I suspected as much, but Ruby just confirmed my theory. I knew that if Ruby had found Lucifer before now, my brother would have come for me as soon as he had his memories returned to him.

The only reason the Angels found me today was because I was with the Winchesters, and the Demons found me through traditional, human, means.

"Your Father is a bastard." Ruby says with inflection.

I let that one go. There would no point in arguing with Ruby. She has her own personal reasons for feeling the way she does, and honestly, they are good reasons. It isn't my place to defend my Father. Not anymore. I'm free of that obligation, at least.

"My human mind began picking up our Angelic network when Dean Winchester escaped hell and began what my brothers and sisters call the 'Apocalypse'." I say to Ruby. "It stands to reason that Lucifer will be experiencing the same awakening."

"We will have to search for a man who hears Angels." Ruby says, her mind already working, the cogs already turning. Determination sharpens her features. She looks at me. "You will search for him. I need to stay close to Sam Winchester."

"Are you sure you know what you're doing with him?" I ask her. Genuinely curious. She's playing a dangerous game with the hunter. It's a game that could get her killed.

"I don't have a choice." Ruby says, not quite answering my question.

"You know better than most that there's always a choice." I say, sadness radiating through my words. "My Father warned me that darkness would reign if we opened the cage, Ruby."

Ruby's entire body stiffens, her expression hardening into a steely mask. But she can't hide the fury completely. Her eyes burn like two pieces of coal fresh from the fire pit.

"Your Father's vague warnings do not scare me, Archangel."

"I know." I say, almost smiling. I never thought I would miss this woman. Not in a million lifetimes. But it seems that I did. Lucifer will be pleased. And jealous. I'd best never let my brother come face to face with Sam Winchester. No part of that interaction would go well.

"The Angels will still be searching for you." Ruby warns caustically. "They've likely been sold some heavy duty bullshit by Raphael and Naomi. Those two are full believers in the little Apocolypse bedtime story that your Father fed them before he fucked off to parts unknown." She sneers. "Your crazy band of rebel Angels have probably had their memories stripped away, or if not, then they're being smart about keeping their loyalties a secret."

I nod my head in acknowledgement.

"I can protect myself from the Angels, and the Demons. They can't track me, and I'm not calling for my Angels until I'm ready. I can't take the chance that Anna, Castiel, and the others will turn on us if they find out the whole truth."

"No matter what happens, I'm going through with this." Ruby says. She's coiled like snake, teeth filled with poison, and ready to strike. "Know that."

"Do what you need to do, Witch." I say. Ruby may be corrupted. A Demon. But she will always be a Witch to me. _The_ Witch. The Witch who brought my brother to his knees.

"Find my husband, and bring him back to me." Ruby instructs imperiously. Her expression softens, however, when she adds, "If you do that...I might even hug you."

"Is that supposed to be an incentive?" I ask sardonically. "Or a threat?"

Ruby's only response is a grin that is as ruthlessly seductive as it is bone chillingly frightening.

I wish Sam Winchester luck, for he has caught the attention of a true born shark.


	3. Texting And Tacos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael makes a new friend.

 

Adam: Mike?

Adam: Mike?

Adam: Mike?

Adam: Mike, be honest with me. Did you die? The people want to know.

Michael: What people?

Adam: Aha! You're alive! I knew it!

Adam: Unless this is someone else using Mike's phone, in which case, Not Cool dude.

Michael: This is Michael.

Adam: But which Michael though? That is the question.

Michael: I am the Angel Michael. Or...was? I used to be an Angel.

Adam: Yeah man, I know, you said so after my friend poked around inside your head.

Michael: I did not appreciate being poked.

Adam: Not many people do.

Michael: Why are you texting me?

Adam: I wanted to check if you were alright.

Michael: Why?

Adam: Because I'm a really nice person.

Michael: That feels like a lie.

Adam: That was mean. That was a mean thing you just texted. You're a mean person.

Michael: I'm not really a person. I don't think so anyway.

Adam: If you spend any amount of time wondering about things like if you're really a person then you are definitely a person.

Michael: Really? How's that?

Adam: Yep, because people are selfish assholes who sit around asking themselves stupid questions. That's what makes us different from animals. You don't see cats walking around in the rain thinking about why they exist and what the true meaning of life is.

Michael: That's because cats are too busy thinking of ways to overthrow humans and take over the world.

Adam: Dude that is so true.

Michael: What are you doing?

Adam: I'm out on a case. Ghoul I think. They're nasty fuckers. What are you doing?

Michael: I'm searching for someone.

Adam: Who are you searching for?

Michael: My other half.

Adam: Like an old boy/girlfriend?

Michael: No. More like family.

Adam: Family is a pain the ass, you don't want any part of it.

Michael: How are your brothers?

Adam: A pain in my ass, I just said.

Michael: You love your brothers.

Adam: I would sell them for a pack of cigarettes.

Michael: Another lie. You're a liar.

Adam: Alright, fine.

Adam: I would sell them for half a pack of cigarettes. There, happy?

Michael: Not really. I'm kind of lost right now.

Adam: Wow, you just bitch slapped me in the face with your honest feelings right then.

Michael: No, I'm literally lost.

Adam: You in a town or a city?

Michael: Town. I think.

Adam: Know the general area?

Michael: Buenavista.

Adam: Mike?

Michael: Yes?

Adam: Are you in fucking Mexico?

Michael: That's what the nice men at the border told me, yes.

Adam: WHY are you in Mexico?

Michael: I have a lead on where the person I'm looking for is.

Adam: They're in Mexico?

Michael: Possibly.

Adam: You need help?

Michael: No. You focus on your Ghoul, Adam. Go save lives and shit. I'll be fine.

Adam: I could save lives in Mexico.

Michael: I don't think Mexico is ready for a Winchester invasion.

Adam: It wouldn't be an invasion, it'd just be me.

Michael: Where you go, your brothers follow.

Adam: You don't know us well enough to say that.

Michael: No. But I know a lot about being a big brother. I'm serious Adam, don't worry about me.

Adam: Says the ex-Angel who's on the run from Heaven and Hell and is now apparently lost in Mexico on a mysterious mission. Right. Clearly you've got this all on lock.

I put my phone down face first on the dash. It buzzes again a few seconds later, but I don't read Adam's latest text.

I didn't expect him to contact me at all. I don't even really know why I left him a phone number to begin with. At the time I told myself it was because I thought he would be less likely to come after me if I made it seem like I wasn't really cutting ties with him completely. If anything, I thought he would call me the day after I left to demand a more detailed explanation. But he didn't.

It's been three weeks and he hasn't once tried to call or text me. I thought I was safe to assume he'd decided to just forget me. That would be the sane thing to do.

I should have remembered that Adam is a Winchester. His family isn't known for giving up the things that matter to them. Not that Adam particularly cares about me. Not more than he cares about any victim he's saved. But I'm connected to the Angels, which means I'm connected to what's happening to his family, and Adam Winchester cares very much about his family.

We have that in common at least.

I've been following leads for weeks about the whereabouts of my brother, but so far I haven't found anything concrete. I'm starting to feel restless. Inaction is something I've never handled well. Not to mention the cravings that haven't gone away just because I got my memories back. I was once an all powerful Archangel, but now I'm just a human junkie who has no idea what the hell he's doing half the time.

I have to believe that finding Lucifer will release some of the pressure inside my chest. I have to believe that it will help me figure out what to do next, or how to fix what's been broken for so long. I almost wish Dad were here so I could ask for his advice. But Dad was never very interested in giving anything but orders.

I don't need orders. I don't know what I need anymore, and it's frustrating as fuck.

I'm kind of horrified to realise that I have no real purpose. There is no mission. Not really. I'm floating through my existence, hoping to find something I can latch onto. I think maybe this is the most human I've ever felt, and I honestly do not care for it.

I let out a loud breath and squeeze the steering wheel of my crappy car. I bought it from a guy for a few hundred bucks, and I'm almost positive that it was stolen. But I haven't been pulled over yet, so I'm not gonna worry about it until I have to.

I'm just thinking about pulling out of the bar parking lot where I've been intensely angsting for the last hour when I notice a couple of kids, teenagers, messing around in an alley next to the bar. They seem to be throwing cans and other bits of garbage at something that's hidden behind a few metal bins. Worried that it might be another kid these two are tormenting, I get out of the car and stride towards them.

When I'm halfway across the street I call out to them,

"Hey, shitheads, violent play time is over."

Asshole teen one and two both turn simultaneously to gape at me. I can barely make out their faces in the shadow of the alley, but I see enough to know that they're probably only about thirteen years old, fourteen at a stretch. Within seconds the boys clock my size, my build, and the gun I have strapped to my hip that I didn't bother to hide, and they book it down the other side of the alley and disappear into the night.

I give a half second thought to chasing them down before dismissing the idea. In a neighbourhood this rough, two kids beating up another kid would seem like a non-issue to most people. Plus, I'm not exactly a school principal. It's not my job to teach teenagers the error of their bullying ways.

It's not until I've rounded the bins that I realise the teens weren't throwing shit at another kid. They were throwing shit at a dog. Or, more accurately, a puppy. The puppy is practically cowering inside a tipped over card board box. He peers up at me with frightened black eyes, his little paws scratching at the ground. I'm no expert on dog breeds, but I'm pretty sure this is some version of a Rottweiler. The puppy's fur is a mixture of black and light brown, and he's very tiny.

I waver on what to do for a solid minute before heaving a great sigh and squatting down to reach for the puppy. I think it will bite me, or at least try to run away, but the puppy just lets me pick him/her up without protest. The puppy is shivering so I put him/her under my jacket and hold him/her against my chest. I feel a bit stupid, but I do it anyway.

I go back to the car, still holding the puppy securely against me. He/she makes some snuffling noises that might one day become a bark and rubs his/her into my t-shirt. I take off my jacket before I get into the car and wrap the puppy up in it. I climb into the car and place the jacket wrapped puppy into the passenger seat.

The puppy looks up at me as I start the car and drive out of the parking lot.

"Well, apparently I now have a dog." I say to the puppy. Because why the fuck not? I'm a fallen Archangel without any grace driving around Mexico in a rust bucket of a car, desperately looking for a little brother who probably still has no idea who he is or who I am or that we're both on the run from Heaven and Hell.

This is ridiculous. I am ridiculous. I blame Lucifer. He just had to fall in love and ruin my entire life. Selfish asshole.

The puppy makes another snuffle-bark sound, as if in response to what I said. Good. At least now when I talk to myself it'll look slightly less demented.

"So, you feel like helping me find my asshole brother?" I ask the puppy, who promptly responds with another snuffle-bark. I find myself admitting out loud to the puppy, "I could use some back up on this one to be honest."

It's the truth. I've been searching and chasing down leads, but I've come up empty every time. I'm no closer to finding my brother now than I was when I left the Winchesters.

I think of Adam again and I check my phone to see his last message.

Adam: Seriously, Mike, if you need help, light up the Winchester signal and I'll be there, I swear.

I feel a squeezing sensation inside my chest, which is a really bad sign. I don't know what it is about Adam Winchester that keeps my mind circling back to him again and again. There's just something about that kid. I can't put it into words. It's a feeling rather than an actual thought process that can be pinned down and explained.

I've known many humans in my long, long existence. I've met men who are brave and clever and kind. I've also met men who are cruel and selfish and monstrous. I've met men who are a mixture of all those things. Humans are never simple, after all. They aren't meant to be.

I'd like to think it's just because Adam is a Winchester, but I know that would be at least partially a lie. Sam and Dean Winchester are larger than life, as much as any human could ever be. Their prophecy may be a load of bullshit, but that doesn't mean the two men aren't special. They were chosen for a reason.

But even so, I didn't feel the same way about them as I did Adam. It's odd to feel so off balance and not really know why.

Adam Winchester has a deeply rooted sadness in him that I recognised the moment I met him. It reflected my own almost exactly. I saw his anger and his grief and his pain. Like his brothers, Adam is loyal and brave. But unlike them, he seems unwilling to rage against the world, despite all that he has lost. Despite all that has been taken from him. It's rare to find a hero who doesn't ache to save the world. There's something vaguely... _Angel_ about Adam.

I find a motel and park up outside. I look over at the puppy and see that he/she is asleep. The puppy's tiny eyes are closed. The little thing looks content enough curled up in my jacket, so I decide to stay put for now. I open up my phone and settle back in my seat. I think about texting Adam back for a moment, before deciding to be reckless and call him instead.

The phone rings a couple of times before Adam picks up. He sounds pissed off and tired when he says,

" _Man, you better be calling to ask me if I want tacos. If so, the answer is yes. The answer is always yes."_

I blink a few times in confusion before replying,

"Adam?"

Adam makes a snorting sound and drawls,

_"Well it ain't the Easter Bunny."_

"No?" I ask, amused.

Adam doesn't miss a beat.

_"Nah, killed that prick last year."_

"Adam!" I exclaim, unable to keep the laughter out of my voice.

_"Hey, you hide my chocolate, you pay for it with your life. Your fluffy, fluffy life."_

"You're insane." I tell him, because it's true. Adam Winchester is insane. Maybe that's why I can't stop thinking about him. Maybe my subconscious is trying to warn me about something.

Adam huffs down the phone, taking mock offence. But his voice is full of wry humour when he says,

" _So, go on then, tell me what's going on. Did you run over an iguana? Have you been arrested? Do I need to drive all the way to Mexico with bail money?_ "

I shake my head even though Adam can't see it, and say,

"There is no iguana. No, I haven't been arrested yet. And please don't drive to Mexico."

" _There is no iguana?_ " Adam says incredulously. " _Then why are you calling me? I thought I made it clear, don't call me for anything less than an iguana level emergency. Unless you're getting me tacos. For tacos I make exceptions._ "

"No tacos either, I'm afraid." I say with no small amount of apology.

" _No tacos. No iguanas. Next you'll be saying you aren't wearing a poncho_."

"I'm definitely not wearing a poncho. Why would I be wearing a poncho?"

" _Why wouldn't you be wearing a poncho? You're in Mexico, that's the best time to **wear a poncho**_."

"I feel like I've disappointed you a lot during this phone call."

" _That is an accurate thing to feel. You have disappointed me. Severely._ "

"Would it help if I told you that I've accidentally acquired a pet?"

" _Is it an iguana called taco wearing a tiny poncho?_ "

"No."

" _Then why would that help?_ "

I roll my eyes and say,

"It's a puppy. Some breed of Rottweiler I think."

That seems to pull Adam up short.

" _Where did you get a Rottweiler in Mexico?_ "

"Found him in a box."

" _What kind of box?_ "

"A square one."

" _Oh, ha, ha, you're the funniest ex-Angel in all of Mexico_."

"I know." I say smugly, and Adam laughs.

I take another peek at the puppy. One of his/her eyes are open now, blinking up at me.

" _Does the box puppy have a name_?" Adam asks.

"Not yet. I'm leaning towards Taco right now though." I bend down a bit towards the puppy, who wriggles around in my jacket and snuffle-barks a few times. "What do you think?" I ask the puppy. "You like the name Taco?"

The puppy breaks free of my jacket prison and tries to climb over the centre console to get at me. He/she is too small though and almost falls through the gap and onto the floor. I catch the puppy and lift him/her over onto my lap. When he/she tries to climb up my t-shirt, I pick him/her up again and bring him/her up in front of my face. The puppy pokes out a tiny tongue and licks the tip of my nose.

I'm going to go ahead and call that a 'yes' for the name Taco. I also check the puppy's gender and find that it's a he.

"Taco it is." I say, smiling to myself.

"I like it." Adam says, an answering smile in his voice.

For a second, the crushing weight of everything I've been carrying around since I got my memories back lifts, and I feel the beginning embers of hope flare to life inside me.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you liked it, let me know if you have time! x


End file.
